Venetian blind cleaner



Oct. 16, 1951 R. LOVE 2,571,906

VENETIAN BLIND CLEANER Filed May 8, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Inventor Rosalie Love Oct. 16, 1951 ov 2,571,906

VENETIAN BLIND CLEANER Filed May 8, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Inventor Ros alie Love WWW Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT oF cs VENETIAN BLIND CLEANER Rosalie Love, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 8, 1947, Serial No. 746,767

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in Venetian blind cleaners, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described which may be conveniently and effectively employed for the dusting or cleaning of Venetian blind slats, both the earlier wooden slats as well as the metallic slats of modern design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind cleaner which is equipped with" removable cleaning members or pads, so that such pads when soiled, may be quickly and easily removed from the cleaning device for purposes of washing or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind cleaner which is simple in construction, pleasing in appearance and which may be conveniently manipulated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind cleaner which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture and which is otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, showing the same in use,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the invention per se, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2 with the cleaning pads removed,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the invention.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to Figures 1-4, in-

constitute a pair of coacting, outwardly divergent handles l4, configurated substantially as shown.

The arms H are pivotally connected together by the mid-portion l5 of a substantially S-shaped rod 16 which extends through'the ears I3, as is best illustrated in Figure 4. A suitable coil spring I! is positioned on the mid-portion H) of the rod IS, the end portions l8 of this spring bearing against the inner surfaces of the handles l4, whereby the flattened portions I! of the arms are normally urged together, as will 'be clearly apparent.

Each of the flattened arm portions l 2 is covered by a sheath-like cleaning pad l9, the outer extremities of these pads being closed, so that the pad may be simply slipped over the portions l2 to the properextent. The pads 19 are formed from fabric, plush, or similar material, and the configuration thereof will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

Means are provided for removably retaining the pads l9 in position, said means comprising a pair of keeper dogs 20, each provided medially of its length with a pair of ears 21 whereby it may be pivotally mounted on one of the outer, transversely extending portions 22 of oppositely directed V-shaped extensions of the aforementioned rod I6. I

One end portion of each of the dogs 20 provides what may be referred to as a finger-piece 23, this being disposed adjacent the handles M. The remaining end portions of the dogs are downturned and terminate in sharp, preferably toothed edges 24 which are adapted for frictionally engaging the inner end portions of the aforementioned pads I9.

clusively, the invention consists of a Venetian Suitable coiled springs 25, similar to the aforementioned spring H, are positioned on the rod portions 22, whereby the edges 24 are urged into engagement with the pads.

Accordingly, when the invention is placed in use, the device will assume the form of a pair of tongs, as it were, and after the pads I9 have been positioned on the arm portions l2, the pads may be applied to the relatively opposite surfaces of the Venetian blind slats 26, as indicated in Figure 2.

The cleaning or dusting action is facilitated by simply sliding the entire device longitudinally along the blind slat and the device may be applied successively to the various slats composing the blind by simply manipulating the handles 14, as will be quite apparent.

After the pads l9 have become soiled, the same may be readily removed from the device for purposes of cleaning or replacement by simply depressing the finger-pieces 23 toward the handles l4, so as to disengage the pointed edges 24 from the pads.

Finally, with respect to the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying Figure 5, this embodiment may, if desired, be employed in association with the cleaning device Hi.

In Figure 5,.50 represents one of the arm portions [2, the same being provided at one longitudinal edge adjacent the outer end thereof with a pair of spaced, laterally projecting lugs The aforementioned cleaning pad 19 is, in this instance, substituted by a cleaning pad 52 which simply consists of a sheet of suitable material enveloping the arm portion 50 and provided with suitable extensions or projections 53 to receive the lugs 5!.

The pad 52 is, of course, applied laterally rather than longitudinally to the arm portion 50, and the adjacent free edges of the pad are provided with rows of apertures 5t through which asultable lace or cord 55 may be threaded for the purpose of separably securing the edges together.

When this embodiment of the invention is placed. in use, the space 56 existing between the lugs 51 will enable the pad portions 53 to straddle the vertically extending cords whereby the blind slats are usually connected together, and in this manner, the entire area of the blind slats. will be subjected to the cleaning operation without interferencev such. as would be otherwise caused by the presence. of the connecting cords.

Itis believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing, disclosure, and accordingly, further description thereof at. this point is deemed unnecessary.

While. in the foregoing there has been shown and described. the preferred embodiment of this invention, itis to be understood that minor changes in the details oi construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing. from the. spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

L A. Venetian. blind cleaning apparatus comprising a pair of fiat arms, angled handles on said arms, laterally extending complementary ears on said handles, a pivot element inserted through said ears, a spring coiled about said pivot and engaging said handles for biasing said arms in clamping engagement, sheath-like cleaning pads positioned on said arms and resiliently actuated keeper prongs positioned on said arms and pivoted on the pivot element for releasably retaining said pads on the arms, a

2. Combination of claim 1; wherein said keeper prongs include a pair of finger bars, apertured ears on said bars secured to said pivot element, lateral prongs disposed on one end of the bars, resilient .means interposed between said finger bars and the handles for biasing said prongs relative to said arms.

3. A Venetian blind cleaner comprising a pair of flat arms, cooperative handles diverging outwardly from one end of said arms, laterally extending complementary ears on said handles, a pivot element, said ears being journaled on the pivot element, oppositely directed U-shaped extensions on the opposite ends of the pivot element and forming prol'ongations thereof, the base portions of said U-shaped extensions being in parallelism with the pivot element, resiliently actuated keeper prongs mounted on the said base portions of the extensions and. normally engaged on the arms, and tubular fabric pads positioned on said arms and releasably retained thereon by the keeper prongs.

ROSALIE LOVE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,958 MacGregor Dec. 21,. 1897 1,235,447 Di Giovanni July 31, 1917 1,713,815 Berthelote May 21, 1929 1,719,467 Fitzpatrick July 2, 1929 2,226,654. Bates Dec. 31, 1940 2,452,107 Cranney Oct. 26, 1948 

